/      •    •     I 


U.S.  DEPARTMENT  OF  AGRICULTURE, 

i:i  |;l   \r  0l    ri.W  l    IM'i  -I  l:N     Circulai 

B.    I.  c.Al.l.i'W  \Y.  Chief  o(   Bur. 


DRY-LAND  GRAINS  FOR  WESTERN 
NORTH  AND  SOUTH  DAKOTA. 


CECIL  SALMON, 
Plant  Physiologist,  Grain  Investigations 


WAMWUTON  :  GOVtRHMf.T  pbintin  a  OfTKE  :  1»IO 


EPOS! 


Bl'REAT  OF  PLANT  INIU'STRY. 


[Cir.59] 

2 


,    I'.  Galloway. 
u,  G.  Harold  Powell. 
Editor,  J.  E.  ROCKWEI  L. 
Chief  Clerk,  James  I  . .' 


DRY-LAND  GRAINS  POR  WESTERN  NOR 
AND  SOUTH  DAKOTA. 


INTRODUCTION. 

Tlir  purpose  of  this  pap  nt  -nine  of  the  results  obtained 

bj    the  <  •:'  :  nited    State     I  >ep  irtmenl 

of   \  ture,  in  several  in  western  North  and  South 

e  work  done  al   the  Bellefourche  experi- 
ment I'.'.n  i,  flellcfo  5.  Dak.,  and   thai  in  cooperation  with  the 

al   the  substati  I  [ighmore,  S.  Dak., 

d    Dickinson  for   the    purpose  of   determining  the  besl 

in,  are  reported.       tt  is  principally  from  these  experi- 
ment farms  thai  definite  and  reliable  information  may  be  obtained 
liis  subjecl . 

>i  thai  are  nol  menl ioned  here.  It 
has  been  the  practice  to  add  promising  new  varieties  and  to  discard 
old  ones  as  thej  are  found  to  be  of  no  value.  To  include  all  these 
would  add  sh    to  this  paper  and  confuse  the  farmer  in   his 

suited  to  his  needs. 
b  of  \  ariet;  .  brief  mention  is  made 

leriments  to  determine  the  bi 
!iii'_r  for  the  \  arious  grains  and  the  besl  time  and  method 
of  tion  for  seeding  winter  wheal.     Other  lines  of    work   are 

beii  time   as   the   need    for  them    becoi 

apparent.     These  will  lie  n  when  more  complete  information 

con  i  hem  i-  obi  ained. 

>  < '\<  m  9IONS    SOMEV  M  \  I     m:\ivi  i\  E. 

I  the  work  h  such  that  few  attempts 

havi  Tli,.  results  of  two  years'  work 

are  llefourche,  of  three  for  Dickinson,  ami  of  -even  for 

Highm  '  rviously  one  must   he  extremely  careful  in  drawing 

rom   the   results  of    only   a    few   year-'    work. 

nd  opinions  which  are  presented  musl  1  led 

•  and  likely  to  be  revised  a-  more  knowledge  on 


i 
a  from  tfa  .•■  Buperij 


4  DRY'-LAND   GBAINS    FOB    NORTH    AND   SOUTH   DAKOTA. 

the  subject  is  obtained.  These  results  are  submitted  in  the  hope  that 
they  will  be  of  immediate  use  to  farmers,  who,  in  many  cases,  come 
from  the  Eastern  States,  where  the  rainfall  is  abundant,  and  are 
unfamiliar  with  conditions  in  this  area. 

SOIL. 

1 1  has  been  the  plan  in  locating  these  experiment  farms  to  obtain, 
as  far  as  possible,  representative1  conditions  of  both  soil  and  climate, 
in  order  that  the  results  may  be  applicable  to  a  large  area. 

BELLEForRCHK. 

The  soil  of  the  Bellefourche  experiment  farm  is  a  very  heavy  clay 
called  ''Pierre  clay"  by  the  Bureau  of  Soils;  to  farmers  and  stock- 
men if  is  familiarly  known  as  "gumbo."  It  is  chiefly  characterized 
by  its  stickiness  when  wet  and  by  its  imperviousness  to  water,  espe- 
cially after  the  surface  becomes  wet.  It  contains  a  fair  amount  of 
humus  and  appears  to  be  rich  in  the  essential  elements  of  plant  food. 
From  a  practical  farmer's  standpoint,  its  chief  disadvantages  are 
that  it  is  very  heavy  and  therefore  expensive  to  work,  and  that  it  i> 
necessary  to  work  it  when  it  contains  the  proper  amount  of  moisture. 
From  the  behavior  of  the  crops,  this  soil  seems  to  be  very  retentive 
of  moisture  and  is  productive  when  properly  handled. 

Table  I  shows  the  results  of  a  mechanical  analysis  of  Pierre  clay.a 
Its  characteristic  stickiness  is  perhaps  explained  by  the  large  percent- 
age of  clay  and  silt,  amounting  to  35  and  43.2  per  cent,  respectively. 

Table  I. — Composition  of  Pierre  clay  as  determined  by  mechanical  analysis. 

Per  cent. 

Fine  gravel 0.2 

Coarse  sand 1.1 

Medium  sand 1.  4 

Fine  sand 5.  5 

Very  fine  sand 13.0 

Silt 43.  2 

Clay 35.  0 

The  Pierre  clay  passes  gradually  into  a  clay  shale,  which  is  found 
at  a  depth  varying  from  a  few  feet  to  several  hundred  feet.  This 
type  of  soil  is  found  extensively  in  South  Dakota  west  of  the  Mis- 
souri River,  and  in  a  few  areas  not  covered  with  the  glacial  drift 
east  of  the  river.     It  also  extends  into  Montana  and  Wyoming. 

The  field  in  which  the  greater  part  of  the  experimental  work  herein 
reported  has  been  conducted  seems  to  be  well  adapted  to  the  purpose. 
Check  plats  have  been  used  in  all  plantings  when  practicable  to  do  so, 
and  in  most  cases  it  has  been  found  that  there  is  little  variation  in 
different  parts  of  the  field. 

<*  Soil  Survey  of  the  Bellefourche  Area,  Advance  Sheet,  Field  Operations,  1907, 
Bureau  of  Soils,  U.  S.  Dept.  of  Agriculture. 
[Cir.  59] 


i>l;\    i  \M>  GRAINS   FOB    NOBTfl    AND   SOUTH    DAKOTA.  D 

BIOHHOR]  . 

The  Boil  of  the  Elighmore  Bubstation  is  of  glacial  origin.  In  texture 
it  differs  from  the  Bellefourche  soil  in  that  if  is  qo(  so  heav)  and  is 
easier  to  work.  It  is  uniform  both  in  texture  and  in  topography. 
The  results  from  thi-<  station  are  extremelj  valuable,  both  from  this 
I'art  and  for  the  reason  thai  the  experiments  extend  over  a  period 
of  Beveral  j  ears. 

UK    kl\-<>\. 

The  soil  of  the  Dickinson  Bubstation  is  not  bo  heavj  as  thai  of 
either  Bellefourche  or  Highmore.  Ii  varies  from  a  Bandy  t"  a  claj 
loam.  It  is  productive  arid  Is  typical  of  extensive  areas  in  western 
\mth  Dakota.  The  field  in  which  varietj  tests  are  being  con- 
ducted appears  to  be  fairly  uniform,  although  check  plats  in  some 
years  have  made  quite  variable  yields. 

CLIMATE. 

The  climate  of  Bellefourche,  Highmore,  and  Dickinson  is  fairly 
typical  of  the  northern  ( 'neat  Plains.  The  annual  mean  temperal  me" 
at  Highmore  is  14.5  F.  It  is  10.3  I'.  at  Dickinson.  Records  at 
Bellefourche  have  not  been  taken  for  a  sufficient  time  to  determine 
the  mean  temperature,  hut  it  is  probably  about  the  same  as  at 
Highmore. 

Table  11  has  been  prepared  for  the  purpose  of  showing  the  annual 
and  seasonal  rainfall  for  each  year  during  which  experiments  have 
been  conducted  at  each  of  these  points.  The  normal  rainfall  for  the 
full  period  for  which  records  are  available  is  also  given  for  the  pur- 
pose of  comparison. 

li  II      Precipitation  at  Highmore,  D  ■  d  Bellefourcht  durii 

a! 


High 

■ 

Annual. 

- 

Annu    .     - 

\nnii.il. 

1906 

IV  1 

in  S 

i:  i. 

7    1 
In    1 
11    '■ 

- 
,1.0 

Inchts.        Inchtt. 

Inrhf.'. 

11.4 

1*14.0 

<«9.0 

o  Innual  Summai  orth  and  £ 

l>  Prom  re  in,  12  miles  (run  ml  farm. 

••  M  u  h  i  from  the  records  &i  i  inn  m.  12  miles  from  the  experimenl  tana. 

■  the  normal  precipitation  for  iiur'!.  |  by  the 

[Cir.  :.!•] 


6  DRY-LAND  GRAINS   FOB   NOBTH    AND  SOUTH    DAKOTA. 

In  all  discussions  in  this  paper  the  seasonal  precipitation  is  under- 
stood to  be  the  amount  of  moisture  which  falls  from  March  1  to  July 
:il .     En  the  northern  <  treat  I  Mm  ins  the  precipitation  during  tins  period 

scnn-  to  be  more  closely  related  to  crop  production  than  does  that 
of  any  other  period.  For  small  grains  the  Augusl  and  September 
rains  are  usually  of  no  use  as  far  a-  the  crop  for  that  season  is  con- 
cerned. On  the  other  hand,  the  March  precipitation  if  conserved 
may  often  he  of  considerable  use.  Even  lor  crops  which  mature  late 
in  the  season,  such  as  com,  the  rainfall  previous  to  August  is  as 
important  as  that  which  occurs  later.  In  the  growing  of  winter 
wheat  the  autumn  and  winter  precipitation  must  also  he  considered. 
The  differences  in  soil  and  climate  at  Bellefourche,  Ffighmore,  and 
Dickinson  do  not  appear  to  he  great  enough  to  cause  very  different 
behavior  of  the  grains.  The  results  agree  so  closely  that  many  of 
the  same  varieties  are  recommended  for  the  three  areas.  As  much 
difference  is  found  between  Bellefourche,  flighmore,  and  Dickinson 
a-  i-  ordinarily  found  between  other  localities  in  the  northern  Great 
(Mains.  It  follows,  therefore,  that  the  results  presented  are  probably 
applicable  to  the  greater  part  of  this  area.  MMie  farmer,  no  matter 
where  he  is  located,  should  study  his  conditions — toil,  rainfall,  tem- 
perature, evaporation,  etc.  By  a  comparison  of  his  own  conditions 
with  those  of  the  experiment  farms  and  a  study  of  the  results  obtained 
he  may  reach  a  very  reliable  conclusion  as  to  the  grains  which  are 
most  likely  to  succeed  on  his  farm. 

OTHER  FACTORS  WHICH  HAVE  INFLUENCED  THE  RESULTS. 

At  all  the  experiment  farms  under  discussion  the  grains  have  been 
grown  as  nearly  as  possible  under  field  conditions.  The  ground  has 
been  well  prepared,  although  no  better  than  can  be  done  on  every 
well-regulated  farm.  The  preparation  has  been  uniform,  so  as  to 
secure  comparable  yields  for  all  varieties. 

At  Dickinson  and  Bellefourche  the  crops  have  been  grown  on  new 
land,  with  the  exception  of  the  barley  at  Dickinson  in  1909,  which 
was  grown  on  corn  ground.  The  usual  practice  has  been  to  break 
the  land  in  the  spring  of  the  previous  year  and  backsel  it  in  the  fall. 
At  Highmore  the  grain  has  usually  been  grown  on  land  on  which  corn 
or  small  grain  was  grown  the  previous  year.  Corn  ground  has  been 
used  whenever  possible.  Before  seeding  in  the  spring  the  ground 
is  disked  and  harrowed  sufficiently  to  provide  a  good  seed  bed.  The 
grain  has  been  sown  with  a  drill,  usually  a  disk  drill. 

The  rate  of  seeding  has  not   always  been  the  same  for  different 

years.     At    Bellefourche  the  durum  wheat   has  usually  been  sown  at 

t  he  rate  of  5  pecks  per  acre,  common  spring  wheat  4  pecks,  and  barley 

and  oats  5  and  (i  pecks,  respectively.     In  the  variety  test  in  1(J08  the 

[Cir.  59] 


DBY-LA  i:  l  M     \  ■  [   DA  KOI  i 

winter  wheal   was  sown  at    the  rate  of  2  pei  acre,  while  in 

the  time-of-seeding  test   the  rate  was  ii  pecks  per  acre.     All  of  the 
winter  wheat,  with  the  exception  of  thai  in  the  rate-of-aeedin 
was  sown  al  the  rate  of  I  pecks  per  acre  in   1909.     At    Highmore  the 
grain  has  been  sown  at  the  e  for  wheat,  6  pei 

for  barley,  and  s  pecks  for  oats.     A  common  practice  at    Dickin 
has  been  to  sow  the  durum  wheal  al  the  rate  of  6  pecks  per  acre  and 
the  common  wheal  al  the  rate  of  5  pecks  per  acre.     Barley  and  o 
have  been  sown  al  the  rate  of  6  and  S  pecks,  respectively. 

VARIETY  TESTS. 

Varieties  behave  verj  differently  under  differenl  conditions  of  soil, 
climate,  and  culture.     One  of  the  princip  cts  of  variet}    tests 

U  to  obtain  information  concerning  the  behavior  of  varieties  in  rela- 
tion i"  these  factors.  The  besl  variety  is  usually  considered  to  be 
the  one  which  will  produce  the  highest  avi  ield  for  a  period  of 

years,  quality  and  market  value  being  considered.  The  abilitj  oi  a 
variety  to  produce  a  fair  yield  in  an  unfavorable  year  is  an  important 
consideration.  Ii  often  happens  that  during  such  seasons  consider- 
able differences  will  bo  found  between  varieties  which  have  produced 
uniformly  good  yields  in  favorable  ones.  Ii  is  largely  for  this  reason 
that  variety  tests  can  ool  be  considered  conclusive  until  the  variel 
have  been  subjected  to  all  the  conditions  which  occur  in  tl 
w  here  they  arc  to  be  grow  n. 

It  is  believed  that  the  results  herein  reported,  which  are  the  mosl 
definite  data  obtainable  for  this  area,  indicate  within  reasonable 
limits  those  varieties  which  will  usually  do  best.  Further  tests  are 
expected  to  show  more  definite  relations  between  varieties  and  • 
tain  climatic  ami  soil  conditions.  In  the  mean  time,  the  farmer  is 
justified  in  using  those  which  our  present  knowledge  indicates  to  be 
the  best . 

SPR]  \<.    win    \  i 

The  tables  which  follow  do  nol  show  a  striking  ority  of  any 

variety  of  the  same  class  as  far  as  yield  is  concerned.  A  probable 
explanation  is  that  the  varieties  reported  represent  the  best  of  sev- 
eral hundred  which  have  been  tested  al  different  places.  Ii  is  the 
practice  of  the  Office  of  Grain  Investigations  of  the  Bureau  of  Plant 
[ndustrj  to  grow  only  a  few  of  the  besl  varieties  in  Held  tests.     All 

ol  her-,  often  numbering  as  main  as  tw three  hundred,  are  grow  n 

in  small  plats  or  rows.     Only  the  besl  of  th  ever  increased,  the 

remainder  being  discarded.  A-  an  illustration,  over  two  hundred 
varieties  and  -train-  of  durum  wheat  introduced  by  this  office  have 
been  growrn  at   the  South  Dakota  Agricultural  Experiment   Station 


8 


DRY-LAND   GRAINS   FOR   NORTH   AND   SOUTH   DAKOTA. 


at  Brookings.  These  were  tested  for  several  years,  the  best  being 
grown  in  field  tests.  Sonic  were  grown  as  early  as  1902  at  Mellette, 
S.  Dak.,  and  in  1903  at  the  substation  at  Highmore.  Later,  when 
cooperative  work  was  begun  at  the  substations  at  Edgeley  and  Dick- 
inson, N.  Dak.,  the  best  varieties  were  sent  there  for  trial.  In  1908, 
when  the  work  at  the  Bellefourche  experiment  farm  was  inaugurated, 
only  those  varieties  which  these  various  tests  had  shown  to  be  best 
were  used. 

In  the  progress  of  the  work  at  various  places  many  varieties  have 
been  discarded,  so  that  those  which  are  being  grown  at  present  may 
be  regarded  as  the  best  of  their  class. 

Tables  III,  IV,  and  V  show  the  average  and  annual  yields  of  the 
durum  and  common  wheats  at  the  three  experiment  farms  under 
discussion.  In  Table  IV,  which  shows  the  yields  at  Highmore,  two 
columns  of  averages  are  given,  as  most  of  the  common  wheats  were 
not  grown  until  two  years  after  the  durum  wheats  were  introduced. 

Table  III. —  Yield  per  acre  of  spring  wheat  grown  at  the  experiment  farm ,  Bellefourche, 

S.  I><i).-.,  in  1908  and  1909. 

DURUM   WHEAT. 


Variety. 

1908. 

1909. 

A  verage. 

G.I. 
No. 

Weight 

per 
bushel. 

Yield. 

Weight 

per 

bushel. 

Yield. 

Weight 

per 
bushel. 

Yield. 

1440 

Lbs. 

02.0 
62.0 
62.0 
61.5 

Bush. 
24.9 

*23.8 
22.5 
22.  3 
24.8 
22.  7 
21.3 

Lbs. 
62.0 
64.5 
64.5 
65.  5 
64.0 
64.5 
63.5 

Bush. 

«  21 .  4 

22.6 

23.2 
22.6 
19.5 
20.9 
22.0 

Lbs. 
62.0 

63.3 
63.2 
63.5 

63.3 
61.8 

Bush. 

23.  2 

1516 

.do.                    

23.2 

1350 

22.  9 

1493 

Wild  Goose 

22.  5 

1354 

22.  2 

14-44 

Yellow  Gharnovka 

62.  0 
60.0 

21.8 

1547 

Wild  Goose 

21.7 

COMMON   WHEAT. 


3025 
3022 
3020 
2492 

■1517 


Powers'  Fife 

R ysting's  Fife 

Ilaynes'  Pedigreed  Bluestem. 

Manchuria 

Ghirka  Spring 


59.5 

18.5 

61.0 

17.3 

60.  3 

54.0 

19.3 

56.5 

15.0 

:,:,  3 

53.5 

18.3 

56.5 

13.8 

55.0 

60  ii 

16.2 

61.fi 

16.0 

till  s 

16.2 

60.0 

11.7 

58. 3 

a  Average  of  two  cheek  plats. 

b  Average  of  three  check  plats. 

c  Yields  are  not  strictly  comparable  with  others,  because  of  a  difference  in  I  he  size  of  the  plats. 

[Cir.  59] 


17.9 
17.2 
16.1 
16.1 
14.0 


l>l;\    LAND   GRAINS    POH    NORTH     \M'    SOUTH    DAKOTA. 


S   Dak  .    from  190 


hi  i:i  \i   w  ill   \  i 


G    I 


\    Ul.lv 


1807 


1516 

Kubanka. . 

\\  lid  i 

Uii-ml  ki 

Pcrcrodka. 

nk.i 

llin 

d 

\:\: 

Beloturka 

1541 

Kub  ink. i- 

Ruth 

17  x 

10  _• 

11  ii 
in  n 


21   i     28  "■ 

- 


24  B 

21  .. 
24   i 


21  -' 


\\.  r 

1909. 

ft  ir 

fluji/l. 

Bulk 

ii  - 

21  2 

i;  2 

17  n 

in  ; 

21  '■ 

21  7 

_'i  2 

I''  '. 


•   '  ■  \l  \l  "  N    U  1 1  K.  \  I 


Gblrka  Spring 

I  Red  Pile 

m.. 
Mlnnesol  i  No   169 

dlej  \  elvel  Chad. 

■  ii  So  51 
.i    171 
Minn. 
Minn,    ota  N 


II  n 


- 


11.8 


21  ii 


17  a 

17  'i 
18.0 

n  B 


18.5 

ie  i 


13  ii 
12  l 
II  B 
14.0 

9.9 

II   -. 


17  7 
17  S 

16  2 

17  2 

17  ii 


15  B 

17  7 
17  8 
17  2 

16  l 

ie  i 


ii  s 


Tabi  b    V       Yield  . 

\    /> 


in  ki  m  W  HE  v  r 


\   U  ■ 

1907.O 

1908.0 

1909. 

Hlii 

Kobank  i. 

Rmhih. 

Iiu.ihrls. 

■    - 
17.6 

Bushrl*. 
30  1 

Itll.'hrl.i. 

."i   ■» 

COMMON   will 


1M7     Ghlrka  Spring 

21.4 

30.0 

B 

- 

nmml  Hop." 
\\ .  r  IgC  .'I  'i 

-10 2 


10  DRY-LAND   GRAINS    FOB    NORTH    AND   SOUTH    DAKOTA. 


BEU.KHHHI  III:. 


The  highest  average  yield  of  spring  wheat  at   Bellefourche  is  23.2 

bushels  per  acre,  as  shown  in  Table  III.  This  was  obtained  from  two 
strains  of  the  Kubanka  variety,  G.  I.  No.  1440"  (better  known  as 
S.  P.  1.  No.  5639)  and  (r.  I.  No.  1516.*  Several  other  varieties  have 
yielded  nearly  as  much. 

Of  the  common  wheats,  Powers'  Fife  (G.  I.  No.  3025)  has  yielded 
the  most,  17.9  bushels  per  acre,  or  5.3  bushels  less  than  the  Kubanka. 
Rysting's  Fife  (G.  1.  No.  3022)  is  a  close  second.  The  Bearded  Red 
Fife,  which  has  yielded  well  at  Highmore,  has  not  been  included  in 
these  tests.  Several  strains  of  this  valuable  variety  are  being  grown 
in  the  plant  nursery.  Some  of  these  are  very  promising  and  will  be 
grown  in  comparison  with  the  other  varieties  a-  soon  a-  sufficient  seed 
i-  obtained. 

HIGHMOHE. 

The  Kubanka  variety  (G.  I.  No.  1516)  has  produced  the  highest 
average  yield  of  the  durum  wheats  at  Highmore,  22.4  bushels  per  acre 
for  the  seven-year  period  from  1903  to  1909,  as  shown  in  Table  IV. 
The  Ghirka  Spring,  the  only  common  spring  wheat  grown  for  the  full 
period  of  seven  years,  gave  an  average  yield  of  14.5  bushels  per  acre. 
The  Bearded  Red  Fife  has  produced  the  highest  average  yield  of  the 
common  wheats  for  the  five  years  from  1905  to  1909.  Three  varieties. 
Pedigreed  Bluestem,  Minnesota  No.  169,  and  Okanogan  Valley  Velvet 
Chaff ,  have  each  produced  an  average  yield  of  about  1.5  bushels  below 
that  of  the  Bearded  Red  Fife. 

The  common  and  durum  wheats  have  been  grown  on  similar  ground, 
with  the  exception  of  the  1909  crop.  A  comparison  of  yield  of  the 
two  »roups  in  1909  can  not  be  made  for  that  reason.  The  average 
yield  of  the  Bearded  Red  Fife  variety  for  the  four  years  from  1905  to 
1908  is  19.5  bushels  per  acre,  or  7.5  bushels  less  than  the  yield  of  the 
Kubanka  for  the  same  period.  The  former,  however,  is  at  present, 
1910,  discriminated  against  by  the  millers,  although  not  to  the  same 
extent  as  is  the  durum  wheat.  Its  greater  yield,  as  compared  with 
other  varieties  of  common  wheat,  is  for  that  reason  partly  offset 
by  the  lower  price  usually  received  for  it.  The  Kubanka  variety 
averages  nearly  9  bushels  more  than  the  Pedigreed  Bluestem,  the 
second  common  wheat  in  point  of  yield,  an  increase  of  more  than 
48  per  cent. 

'  i. lain  Investigations  number. 

6  The  following  strains  of  the  Kubanka  were  obtained  by  Mr.  M.  A.  Carleton:  (i.  I. 
No.  1440  in  December,  1900,  from  Uralsk  territory,  Russia;  (1.  I.  X".  1516,  from  the 
Paris  Exposition  in  1900  (originally  from  the  Samara  government,  Russia);  (!.  1.  No. 
1511  (S.  P.  1.  No  lioiitii,  from  the  Astrakhan  government,  Russia,  in  August,  1900;  and 
(J.  I.  Nil  L354  s  P.  I.  No.  2758),  from  the  Samara  government,  Russia,  in  1808. 
[Cir.  59] 


I»i;\    LAND   URAIN.S    FOB    NORTH     \M>    SOI    Ml    DAKOTA.  11 


I'll    kl\-"S 


li  will  be  seen  from  Table  V  thai  three  durum  wheal  varieties, 
Kubanka,  Wild  Goose,  and  Nicaragua,  have  yielded  practically  the 
-ri nit-  :i t  Dickinson,  5  bushels  per  acre,  respecth   ly. 

The  Kubanka  produced    the  highest   average  yield  in    1906,°  which 
would    bring   it-   average   above   thai    of   the  others.     The  Ghirka 
Spring  variet}     (■     I     No.    1517)   has  produced  the  highest  averi 
yield  of  the  common  wheats  and  yielded  the  highest  in  1907  and  This. 

It  has  n<>t  done  so  well  al  either  Bellefourcl r  rlighmore,  altho 

during  drj  years  it  has  exhibited  drought-resistant  properties.  It- 
average  yield,  25  bushels  per  acre,  is  1.6  bushels  less  than  the  Kubanka, 
an  increase  for  the  latter  of  about  Is  percent.  The  Ghirka  Spring 
i-  a  semihard  Fife  wheat  introduced  from  Russia  1>\  this  office,  but 
-o  far  it  has  not  been  extensive!}  grown.  Although  its  milling  qualit} 
has  not  been  thoroughly  tested,  it  promises  well.  The  yield  of  the 
Kubanka  al  Dickinson  is  5.8  bushels  greater  than  the  yield  of  the 
best  Bluestem,  or  an  increase  of  more  than  24  per  cent. 


..1   \  I   KM      l'1-i    I    —  l"\ 


The  preceding  discussion  shows  that  Powers'  Fife  has  been  the 
highest  yielding  common  wheal  at  Bellefourche,  the  Bearded  Red 
Fife  at  rlighmore,  and  the  Ghirka  Spring  at  Dickinson.  At  each 
of  the  experiment  farms  the  best  yields  of  durum  wheat  have  Keen 
obtained  from  one  or  the  other  of  two  9trains  of  the  Kubanka  variety. 
(i  I.  No.  1  l  Hi  has  given  the  highest  \  i < •  1  <  1  at  Dickinson,  G.  I  No. 
1516  at  rlighmore,  while  the  two  strains  have  given  the  same  yield 
at  Bellefourche.  Apparently  there  is  little  difference  between  the 
two  strains,  (i.  I.  No.  1440  is  alightl)  taller  than  (i.  1.  No.  1516, 
and  milling  and  baking  tests  conducted  at  the  South  Dakota  Agri- 
cultural Experiment  Station'  indicate  that  it  i-  superior  to  the 
latter  in  this  respect.  Results  are  reported  for  onlj  two  years,  and 
further  tests  in  connection  with  the  work  al  Bellefourche  have 
-~hown  much  less  difference  between  the  two  strains. 

Variety  tests  at  other  place-  -how  that  while  durum  wheat  should 
not  he  grown  under  humid  conditions  the  Kubanka  is  even  less 
adapted  to  wet  seasons  than  some  of  the  other  varieties.  Apparently 
the  abundant  precipitation  during  the  past  few  seasons  at  the  three 
experiment  farm-  ha-  served  to  raise  the  average  of  other  varieties 
in  comparison  with  the  Kubanka.    Thus  this  variety   (G.  I.  N<>.  l  1 10) 

produced    the    highest     yield    of    all    the    varieties   at     Bellefourche    iii 


Firsl  Innual  Report  of  the  Dickinson  Sub-Experiment  Station,  L908,  p.  13. 
''  Bulletins  '•-'  and  99,  South  Dakota  Agrii  ultural  Experiment  Station. 

I  fir.  59] 


12  DRY-LAND   GRAINS   FOR    NORTH    AND   SOUTH    DAKOTA. 

1908  (Table  III),  a  dry  year,  but  in  1009,  a  season  of  abundant 
precipitation,  it  was  slightly  exceeded  in  yield  by  other  varieties. 
At  Highmore  in  1904,  the  driest  year  during  which  tests  have  been 
conducted,  three  strains  of  the  Kubanka,  G.  I.  Xos.  1440,  1516,  and 
1541,  ranked  in  yield  first,  second,  and  third,  respectively  (Table 
I\ ').  Likewise  at  Dickinson  in  1909,  with  a  rainfall  considerably 
above  the  normal,  the  Kubanka  was  outvielded  by  other  varieties. 
but  in  1907,  the  driest  year,  it  yielded  the  highest.  "While  such 
comparisons  do  not  hold  true  for  each  year  at  each  experiment  farm, 
it  appears  that  the  Kubanka  is  better  adapted  than  other  varieties 
of  durum  wheat  to  dry  climates  and  dry  seasons.  It  is  very  prob- 
able that  for  a  period  of  years  during  which  the  precipitation 
approaches  more  nearly  the  normal  than  has  been  the  case  during 
the  past  few  seasons,  or  when  the  precipitation  is  below  normal, 
the  superiority  of  the  Kubanka  variety  will  he  more  clearly  shown. 

COMPARISON    OF    DlRl'M    AND   COMMON    8PBINQ    WHEAT. 

An  important  result  of  the  variety  tests  is  definite  information 
concerning  the  comparative  yields  of  durum  and  common  spring 
wheat.  It  has  been  pointed  out  that  the  superiority  in  average 
yield  of  the  best  durum  over  the  best  common  spring  wheat  has 
amounted  to  from  IS  to  48  per  cent  of  the  yield  of  the  common 
wheat,  the  smallest  difference  being  at  Dickinson.  As  previously 
noted,  the  average  precipitation  at  each  experiment  farm  for  the 
period  during  which  these  comparisons  are  made  is  from  1  to  5 
inches  above  normal.  This  has  undoubtedly  resulted  in  a  differ- 
ence less  than  would  otherwise  be  the  case,  since  it  is  only  in  dry 
years  that  the  full  value  of  the  durum  wheat  becomes  apparent.  For 
example,  at  Highmore  in  1906.  with  a  seasonal  precipitation  of  about 
1  inch  above  normal,  the  difference  in  yield  between  the  Pedigreed 
Bluestem  variety  and  the  Kubanka  was  12.2  bushels.  The  increase 
from  growing  the  Kubanka  in  this  case  amounted  to  about  75  per 
cent.  In  1904,  with  a  precipitation  of  about  4  inches  below  normal, 
the  difference  in  yield  in  favor  of  the  Kubanka  amounted  to  nearly 
100  per  cent  of  the  yield  of  the  Pedigreed  Bluestem. 

At  Dickinson  the  driest  year  since  the  variety  tests  were  begun 
was  1907.  The  difference  in  yield  that  season  between  the  Kubanka 
and  the  Ghirka  Spring  varieties  was  9  bushels  per  acre,  and  between 
the  Kubanka  and  the  Bluestem  12.9  bushels,  or  a  gain  for  the 
Kubanka  in  the  latter  case  of  nearly  69  per  cent.  As  the  seasonal 
precipitation  in  1907  was  just  about  normal,  it  seems  very  probable 

[Clr.  59] 


DB1    LAND   DRAINS    mm;    NOHTH     wu   801    in    DAKOTA.  L8 

thai  for  a  series  of  yearn  in  which  the  average  rainfall  is  about  normal 
the  difference  in  yield  between  the  durum  ami  the  common  - j »ri 1 1-_- 
wheai  at  this  point  will  be  more  than  enough  to  offset  the  difference 
in  price 

At  Bellefourche  the  greatest  difference  in  yield  between  the  durum 
a  in  I  the  common  spring  wheat  baa  been  obtained  in  the  driest  j  ear. 

It  1  in~.  Keen  ahown  that  at  the  experiment  farms  under  discussion, 
in  seasons  when  the  precipitation  is  about  normal,  the  difference 
in  yield  between  the  besl  durum  and  the  beat  common  spring  wheat 
amounts  to  from  25  to  75  per  cent.  In  seasons  when  the  precipita- 
tion is  below  normal  the  difference  is  greater.  As  previously 
mentioned,  the  value  »>f  durum  wheal  i-  due  to  it-  ability  to 
resisl  drought.  Because  of  this  quality  it  will  usually  produce 
profitable  yields  in  years  bo  unfavorable  thai  no  profit  whatever  is 
realized  from  the  common  Bpring  wheal.  In  favorable  years  as 
much  and  usually  more  profit  i-  realized  from  the  durum  wheal. 
The  present  difference  in  price  (15  to  20  cent'-  per  bushel)  should 
not  prevent  the  growing  of  durum  wheat  in  the  Great  Plains,  par- 
ticularly   in    those   BOCtionS    where    winter   wheat    can    Hot    he   grown. 

K\er\  farmer  should  insisl  on  obtaining  the  besl  variety,  Kubanka, 
and  should  then  be  very  careful  to  keep  it  pure.  This  is  particularly 
important  where  durum  and  common  wheat  are  grown  <>n  the  same 
farm,  as  the  millers  object  to  durum  wheat  containing  even  a  Bmall 
proportion  of  common  w  heat . 

It  ha-  been  fully  demonstrated  that  bread  can  he  made  from 
durum  flour  that  i-  equal  in  quality  to  thai  made  from  common 
Bpring  w  heat.  The  bread  ha-  a-  high  ii  nut  tit  ive  value,  and  though  a 
little  darker  in  color  i-  preferred  by  BOme  to  that  made  from  common 
wheat.  The  dry-land  farmer  by  using  durum  Hour  and  thus  creating 
a  demand  for  it  and  by  growing  only  the  besl  variety  of  durum 
wheat  and  keeping  it  pure  may  bring  it-  price  more  nearly  to  the 
level  of  that  of  common  spring  wheat. 

w  i\  rii:    w  ii  i:a  i 

Winter  wheat  ha-  been  tried  at  each  of  the  three  experiment  farm-. 

hut  only  at  Bellefourche  ha-  it  proved  a  decided  BUCCess.  In  both 
1908  and  1909  good  yield-  were  obtained.  Both  crops  were  BOWD 
on  land  broken  in  the  spring  of  1907,  that  for  the  1909  crop  having 
been  summer-fallowed  during  1908.  Two  plat-  of  each  variety  were 
-own  in  1908,  with  the  exception  of  the  Crimean  (■.  I.  No.  [435  and 
the  Kharkof  (G.  I.  No.  L583).     One  plat  was  sown  September  15  and 

[Or.  :.:>1 


14 


DRY-LAND   GRAINS    FOR    NORTH    AND   SOUTH    DAKOTA. 


the  other  October  .">.     The  average  of  all  the  plats  of  each  variety  is 
given  in  t he  following  table: 

Table  VI.      Yield  per  acn  oj  winter  wheat  grown  </i  tin  experiment  farm,  Bellefourche, 

8.  Dak.,  in  1908  "»</ 1909. 


Variety. 

1908.                                          1909. 

i 

Average. 

G.  I. 

No. 

Yield. 

W.-iL-h! 

per 
bushel. 

Plants 

sur- 
viving 
winter. 

Yield. 

Weight 

per 
bushel. 

Plants 

sur- 
viving, 
winter. 

Yield. 

Plants 

sur- 
viving 
winter. 

3055 

Turkev 

Bush. 
22.3 

-'."..  1 
24.1 
25.5 
22.5 

2o.  :i 
18.7 

Pounds. 
60.0 
60.  i) 
60.0 
60  ii 
60.0 
60.0 
57.5 

Ptrcl. 
72.0 
69  (I 

71.li 
711.  0 
52.0 

" 

62  0 

Bush. 
44.5 
40.3 
41.0 
39.0 
39.0 
36.  (I 
31.5 

Pounds. 
62.0 

1,1  :, 
61.5 

61.8 

i,i  :, 
61.5 

Perct. 
94.7 

91.9 
H7.  2 
83.7 
98.9 
98.9 

Bush. 
33.  4 
32.9 
32.  (i 
32.  3 
30.8 
30.7 
25.1 

Perct. 
83  4 

I  II.' 

Kharkof 

N/l  G 

1558 

Turkey 

79  1 

1571 

.do 

76  9 

Kharkof 

76  0 

1  «7 

Crimean 

77  5 

M.S.') 

do 

The  average  of  the  two  years'  test  at  Bellefourche  shows  that  the 
Turkey  variety  (G.  I.  No.  3055)  produced  the  highest  average  yield, 
33.4  bushels  per  acre,  having  exceeded  the  next  best,  the  Kharkof 
(G.  I.  No.  1442),  by  0.5  bushel  per  acre.  It  also  has  the  highest 
weight  per  bushel  and  the  highest  percentage  of  winter  survival. 
Results  are  not  reported  for  either  Highniore  or  Dickinson. 

In  addition  to  the  varieties  just  discussed,  which  were  grown  on 
one-tenth  acre  plats,  about  thirty-five  were  grown  in  rows.  These 
were  obtained  from  various  sections  of  the  United  States  and  Canada, 
and  are  the  best  varieties  grown  in  their  respective  localities.  Of 
these,  the  winter  survival  of  all  but  ten  was  below  50  per  cent.  The 
winter  survival  of  twenty-two  varieties  was  less  than  2  per  cent. 
Only  one  variety,  Turkey,  survived  to  the  extent  of  90  per  cent.  No 
stronger  proof  should  be  needed  that  the  farmer  must  exercise  great 
care  in  the  selection  of  varieties  for  his  farm. 

COMPARISON    OF    WINTER    WHEAT    AND    DURUM    WHEAT. 

At  the  Bellefourche  experiment  farm  the  winter  wheat  has  yielded 
practically  the  same  as  the  durum  wheat  when  grown  under  the 
same  conditions.  In  1908  the  average  yield  of  the  seven  best  varie- 
ties of  winter  wheat  was  23.4  bushels  per  acre,  whereas  an  average 
yield  of  23.2  bushels  was  obtained  from  seven  varieties  of  durum 
wheat  grown  on  similar  ground.  The  difference  in  yield  between 
the  best  variety  of  each  for  the  season  is  0.6  of  a  bushel  in  favor  of 
winter  wheat. 

During  the  season  of  1909  winter  wheat  on  summer-fallowed 
ground  produced  from  31.5  to  44.5  bushels  per  acre  according  to  the 
variety.  A  plat  of  the  Kubanka  durum  wheat  grown  in  the  same 
field, but  in  a  different  part«of  the  series  and  on  lower  ground. pro- 
duced 36. S  bushels  per  acre.     An  adjoining  plat  of  the  Turkey  win- 

[Cir.  59] 


Dm    LAND   OKAIKH    KOH    SOUTH     \M>    >"i    III    l>\K<U\. 


L5 


ter  wheat,  in   tin1   i cling  test,  sown    November  I.  yielded 

37.3  bushels  per  acre,  or  one  half  bushel  more  than  the  Kubanka. 
Thus,  while  practicall}  the  -Mine  \  ield.n  have  Keen  obtained,  the  differ 
ence  in  each  case  ha>  been  in  fa\  or  qf  the  winter  wheat.  The  wintei 
wheal  usuall}  sells  for  the  same  price  as  the  common  spring  wheat 
ami  has  the  further  advantage  thai  b)  growing  it  the  farmer  is  able 
in  distribute  his  work  over  a  greater  part  of  the  year. 

OATS 

Oats  have  had  a  prominent  place  in  the  experiments  at  all  three 
experiment  farm-  Variet}  tests  have  been  conducted  for  two  years 
at  Bellefourche,  for  three  at  Dickinson,  and  for  seven  at  Highmore. 
Tables  VII,  VIII.  and  IX  shov  the  an  una  I  and  a\  erage  \  ields  of  the 
different  varieties  at  each  experiment  farm  for  these  periods. 

Tablk  VII. —  Yield  jn  - 

■ 


..  1 

No 

in 

• 

II  UI 

- 

.-   8 

/ 

- 

1 

Yellow  i  ■  •  ui' 

ii 

T.mii  b  VIII. —  Yield  jh 


0.  1 

- 

ll  J 

Bush. 

Bu$h. 

- 

; 

i>4    1 

1  1    l 

- 

- 

Red   Vlgi 

18  * 

17  8 

4  ; 

151 

411 

441 

in  Prolific 

IV, 

154 

Whit 

ii  ; 

[Or.  .V.I] 


a  Not  comparable  with  others. 


16 


DRY-LAND    GRAINS    FOR    NORTH    AND    SOUTH    DAKOTA. 


TABLE    IX.        Yield  pir  urn   of  Oats  (jroun  nt  the  t.i jjir'niu <  id  farm,  Dickinson,  N.  Dal:., 
from  1907  to  1909,  inclusive. 


<;.  I. 
No. 


386 

366 
300 
354 
168 
376 
160 
163 
497 
344 
493 
378 
491 
551 
483 
492 
196 
16S 
134 


Early  Mountain. 


Kherson 

Black  Brio 

White  Tartarian. 


Canadian 

Heine's  Prolific. . . 

Banner 

American  Beauty. 
Black  Mogul. . ..". 


Colden  Rain  .  . . 
Beseler  No.  1... 

Hvitling 

White  Russian. 
Shatilovsky. . . . 

I.igowo 

Black  Bell 

Sixty-Day 

Swedish  Select. 


Variety. 


1907.O 

1908.a 

Bushels. 

Bushfls. 

80.9 

h  36. 8 

79.0 

47.5 

75.3 

48.1 

68. 1 

411   S 

72.8 

33.9 

70.0 

42.0 

81.2 

33.3 

63. 1 

40.2 

46.8 

41.6 

48.4 

41.6 

50.9 

46. 6 

65.9 

34.5 

35.2 

52.8 

63. 1 

32.0 

42.  6 

39.2 

62.8 

28.1 

23.1 

44.1 

36.0 

37.5 

47.8 

36.6 

58.2 

37.2 

46.  9 

1909. 


Bushels. 
90.0 
79.8 
81.3 
81.5 
83.1 
77.8 
71.6 
75.0 
89.4 
86.5 
77.8 
73.3 
C82.2 
69.7 
78. 5 
64.3 
82.6 
75.  3 
40.0 


81.3 


Average. 


Bushels. 

68.8 

68.2 
63.5 
63.3 
Ii3.3 
62. 0 
59.4 
59.3 
58.8 
58.4 
57.9 
56. 7 
54.9 
51.8 
51.7 
49.9 
49.6 
41.5 


"  From  First  Annual  Report  o'  the  Dickinson  Sub- Experiment  Station,  1908. 
'  A  verage  of  t  bree  check  plats. 
e  Average  of  four  check  plats. 


BEI.LEFOURCHE. 


The  best  yielding  oat  varieties  at  Bellefourehe  are  the  Kherson 
and  the  Sixty-Day.  They  seem  to  be  practically  identical  in  both 
yield  and  appearance.  The  only  difference  noted  is  that  the  Kherson 
is  one  or  two  days  later  in  maturing;  than  the  Sixty-Day  and  is 
slightly  taller.  The  average  3-ields  are  36.4  and  36.3  bushels  per 
acre,  respectively.  The  Swedish  Select  ranks  third,  with  a  yield  of 
33.3  bushels  per  acre.  Other  varieties  range  in  yield  from  18.5  to 
30  bushels  per  acre. 


HICHMORE. 


Only  Sixty-Day  and  Swedish  Select  oats  have  been  grown  at  High- 
more  for  the  full  period  of  seven  years.  In  1906  the  former  was 
grown  on  sorghum  ground,  and  therefore  was  not  comparable  with  the 
other  varieties.  A  plat  of  the  Swedish  Select  on  sorghum  ground 
by  the  side  of  the  Sixty-Day  yielded  42. S  bushels  per  acre,  or  22 
bushels  less  than  the  plat  of  the  same  variety  in  the  regular  variety 
test.  The  average  of  the  Swedish  Select  for  seven  years  on  ground 
comparable  with  the  Sixty-Day  is  41.5  bushels.  The  average  yield 
of  t  he  latter  for  the  same  period  is  40.2  bushels.  A  four-year  average 
from  1006  to  1909,  inclusive,  of  all  varieties  (Table  VIID  shows  the 
Kherson  in  the  lead,  with  a  yield  of  41.5  bushels,  and  the  Swedish 
Select  a  close  second,  with  a  yield  of  41.3  bushels.  Had  the  Sixty- 
Day  been  grown  on  comparable  ground  in  1906  it  would  undoubtedly 
have  equaled  either  of  these  in  yield. 

[Cir.  59] 


m;y  LAND  DRAINS    FOR    NORTH     IND    SOUTH    DAKOTA.  17 

DICKINSON 

The  Earl}  Mountain  oal  has  produced  the  highest  average  yield  at 

Dickinson,  as  shown  in  Table  IX      It  ranked  first  in  1009  and  sec I 

in  1907.     («.  I    No    t86  ranks  Becond  and  the  Kherson  third  for  the 
three  years.     The  average  yield  of  ilir  Kherson  variet)  is  less  than  a 
bushel  Ix'h'u  that  of  the  Earl}   Mountain.     Unfortunately,  compar 
able  yields  have  not  been  secured  for  the  Sixt}   Da}  and  the  Swedish 
Select  for  t he  lull  period. 

OENEBAl     i'i  ■  ■ 

The  preceding  tables  -I u >\\  that  for  the  full  period  for  which  tests 
have  been  conducted  the  Sixt}  Da}  and  the  Kherson  oat  varieties 
have  yielded  the  highest  al  Bellefourche,  the  Swedish  Select  at  High- 
more,  and   the   Earl}    Mountain   at    Dickinson.     The    Kherson  oat, 

which  ha-- 1 n  grown  at  Highmore  for  four  years,  has  given  the  highest 

average  yield  for  that  period.  The  average  yield  of  the  Sixt  D 
when  grown  "ii  comparable  ground  is  only  slightl}  less  than  that  of 
the  Swedish  Select.  At  Dickinson  the  Kherson  has  yielded  about 
a  bushel  less  than  the  Marly  Mountain,  the  highest  yielding  variet} 
at  that  place.  The  latter  usuall}  matures  about  ten  days  later  than 
the  former  and  therefore  has  the  advantage  in  favorable  seasons  "f  a 
longer  period  in  which  to  mature. 

In  general,  early  varieties  are  the  mosl  promising  For  the  northern 
Great  Plains.  Over  most  of  this  area  a  light  summer  rainfall  and 
high  temperatures  are  the  rule.  Consequently,  late  oats  are  often 
injured  l>\  drought  and  high  temperatures  al  a  critical  stage  of  their 
development.  The  Sixty-Da}  and  the  Kherson  are  good,  early 
maturing  varieties  and  will  usuall}  produce  profitable  yield-.  The 
Swedish  Select  variety, which  matures  about  ten  days  later  than  the 
Sixty- Day  and  the  Kherson  varieties,  has  given  good  yields  wherever 
grown. 

In  the  northern  portion  of  the  area,  with  it-  lower  temperat  ures  and 
with  conditions  generally  more  favorable  t>>  the  production  of  oats,  it 
i-  probable  that  later  varieties  i  an  I"-  grown  with  equal  succi 

BARl  11 

Tables  X.  XI.  and  XII  -how  the  yields  of  nine  varieties  <>f  barley 
grown  in  field  tests  al  Bellefourche,  of  fifteen  at  Highmore,  and  of 
eleven  at  Dickinson.  The  poorest  varieties  are  continually  being 
discarded  and  more  promising  ones  added,  so  that  the  number  grown 
each  year  \  aries 

[Cir.  59] 


IS 


DR1    LAND  GRAINS    FOR   NORTH    AND  SOUTH    DAKOTA. 


Table  X.      Yield  per  acr<  of  barley  grown  at  th(  experiment  farm,  Belief ourche,  S.  Dak., 

in  1908  <n,>/ 1909. 


Variety. 

1908. 

1909. 

A  VI  ! 

G.  1 

per 

Yield. 

per 

Yield. 

Weigh! 

per 
bushel. 

Yield. 

21 

Banna 

■row., 
do. 

;:,  5 
58  ii 

29.0 

1 2.  (i 

49.0 
51.0 
62.0 

45. 5 

51  ii 
51.0 

21.  1 
17.3 
9.6 
9.0 
19.8 
22  1 
22  1 
19.2 

51.5 

47.  3 
61.0 

ea  o 

Bushels. 

26  4 

do 

21  7 

643 

Manchuria 

Six-row. .. 
Bull 

row... 

21  7 

262 

13  0 

w  bite  Hull  li 

10.5 

182 

do 

.,1 

Two- row. . 

• 

....do 

a  Average  ol  i  wo  i 

Table  XI.      Yield  per  am  of  barley  grown  at  iht  experiment  farm,  TUghmore,  S.  Dak., 
from  1903  to  1909,  inclusivi 


Variety. 

1903 

! 
1  V  2 
11.0 
In   l 
12.7 
13  1 
10.  1 

1905. 

Bush. 
50  6 

16  'i 
53.  5 
51.7 
54  .' 
54    I 
47.9 

41.9 

1907. 

1908. 

1909. 

A  verage. 

G.I. 

Five 
years 

Seven 
years 
(1903- 
1909). 

24 

Banna 

Two-row. . 

do 

19   i 

16    3 
IK  1 

]  .  G 
is.  1 
1  1.  1 
15.6 
10.6 

Bush. 
31.3 

32.  7 

so.  r> 

■27.7 
21.  I 
21.  l 

21.  G 
21.5 
18.5 

26.0 

22.  7 
27.3 
22.  7 
22.  7 

Bush. 

38.  i 

28.  l 

26.  l 

22.  9 
18.8 
22  D 
24.  1 
27.7 
32.  3 

15.6 
20.8 
19.8 
18.8 
17.3 
15.4 
14.2 
11.5 
15.8 
14.8 
11.0 
9.8 
n  6 
15  v 
15  8 

Bush. 

32.  1 

32.  1 
31.9 
31.2 
29.0 
27.  J 

32.  4 
27.0 

27 

Bohemian. .  - . 

27.7 

203 
34 
32 
31 
47 

IN 

531 

Banna 

Hanna  Pedigreed 

Bohemian. 

Horn 

Striegum 

Golden  Melon 

Hannchen 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

....do 

.    do 

27.1 

26.  ! 

24.  (, 
2X9 

530 

Chevalier. .  - 

do 

529 

in  8      17.9 

532 

Primus 

do 

40.0 

36.0 
42. 3 

Minnesota  No.  6 

Minnesota  No.  105 

Odessa 

Six-row . . . 

do 

....do 

16  8 

182 

Table  XII.      Ynlrf  per  am  of  barley  grown  at  thi  i  cperiment  farm,  Dickinson,  N.  huh.. 
from  I'm',  to  1909,  inclusirt . 


G.  I. 
No. 

Variety. 

i  i 

1 

28.  :< 

29.3 
31.4 

27.  0 
22.  I 
17.7 

A  vei 

Two 

1 

34.  1 

12  2 
11.0 

29.7 

2.;.  2 
lv.-, 

Three 

Hanna 

Two  : 

.    .do 

Bushtls 

52  l 
34.  i 

Bushels. 

in.  l 

1  1.  '4 

19.2 

in.  l 

34.4 

531 

187 

..  do... 

530 

i.  i 

529 

Prin 

532 

Primus 

575 

Gatami 

row... 

<lo   . 

16.5 

«ln   .. 

Buli-les 

Hull- 

23. 1 

oFromFli  i   \m  ol  the  Dickinson  Sub-Experiment  Station,  1908 

b  \\  ei 


I  Cir.  59] 


Dm    LAND  OB  ii     ^ND   SOUTH   DAKOTA.  19 


III    I  I   I    Mil    |;i    ||  I 


Of  the  five  varieties  of  two-rowed  barlej   grown  at    Bellefourche, 
the  1 1  ■  mi     (G    I    No.  24)  has  given  the  highest  avi 
bushels   per  acre,   as   well   ji-   the  highest    annual  yield  (Table  X 
The  1 1 : 1 1 : 1 1 .- 1    G.  I.  V  is  a  pn  ain,  having  produced 

.•hi  average  yield  "I  -'I  7  bushels  per  acre.  Both  produce  grain  of 
excellent  quality,  weighing  50  pounds  to  the  bu  hel  in  1908  and  ■'>'■'< 
pounds  in  1909. 

Only  three  sis  rowed  varieties  have  been  grown.  Of  these  the 
Minnesota  No.  6  and  the  Odessa  are  the  most  promising.  The  Man 
churia,  the  onlj  six-rowed  variet)  grown  both  seasons,  has  an  average 
yield  <>!  21.7  bushels,  or  1.7  bushels  less  than  that  of  the  Hanna. 
The  hull-less  varieties  have  not  yielded  as  well  as  might  be  expected 
from  results  secured  elsev  here. 


1 1 1  ( ;  1 1  m  1 1 H  i 


[n  a  seven-year  test  at  Highmore,  including  nine  varieties  of  barley, 
the   Hanna   (G.    I.   No.  24)   leads,   with  a  yield  of  28.2  bushels  per 

re  (Table  XI  ,     In  a  five-year  trial,  including  thirteen  variel 
t lie*   Hannchen   (G.   I.   No.   531)   has   produced   an   average  yield  of 

9  bushels,  the  highest  for  the  period.     The  Bohemian  (G.  I.  No. 
and  the  Chevalier  (G.  1.  No.  530    varieties  are  next  in  yield,  having 
produced   ■'!•">   and   32.4    bushels   per  acre,    respectively.     Only  one 

rowed  variety,  Minnesota  No.  6,  has  been  grown  for  the  entire 
seven-year  period.  Ii  ranks  fourth,  with  a  yield  of  26.6  bushels 
per  acre.  The  Odessa,  which  has  been  grown  but  three  years,  has 
been  the  highest  yielder  of  the  six-rowed  varieties  for  that  period. 

DICKTN80N  . 

Only  five  varieties  of  barley,  including  two  each  of  the  two-rowed 
and  six-rowed  types  and  one  of  the  hull-less,  were  grown  at  Dickin- 
son in  1907.  The  Banna  varietj  (G.  1.  No.  203  .  with  an  average 
yield  of  in.  I  bushels,  ranks  first  for  the  three  years  Table  XII  . 
The  Imperial  i-  second,  having  produced  34.4  bushels  jut  acre. 
For  this  period  the  yield  of  the  Gatami,  the  besl  six-rowed  variety, 
is  8.1  bushels  belo^  thai  of  the  Hanna.  An  average  of  all  the 
varieties  for  two  years  shows  the  Hannchen  (G.  I.  No.  531  to  have 
been  the  best,  with  a  yield  of  13.2  bushels.  The  two  varieties, 
Swan"  Neck  and  Chevalier,  yielded  nearly  as  much. 

Mr   M    A.i  arleton  :'        ' 

li.ni.  in  1900:     It  came  originally  from  Lib  Austria.     The  Hanna    <■    I 

ind  S.  P.I.I  Mr.  D.G.F  lirchild  in  January  .  190         k 


20  DRY-LAND   GBAINS   FOB    NORTH    AXD   SOUTH    DAKOTA. 

For  the  three-year  period  the  hull-less  barley  produced  only  a  little 
more  than  half  as  much  as  the  best  two-rowed  variety,  and  for  the 
two-year  period  less  than  half. 

GENERAL   DISCUSSION. 

At  each  experiment  farm  the  two-rowed  varieties  of  barley  have 
given  the  best  yields.  The  Hanna  barley  (G.  I.  No.  24)  has  given 
the  highest  average  yield  at  Bellefourche  and  Highmore,  but  has 
not  been  grown  at  Dickinson.  The  Hanna,  G.  I.  No.  203,  a  strain 
very  similar  to  Hanna,  G.  I.  No.  24,  has  given  the  highest  yield 
at  the  latter  place.  The  Hannchen  variety  (G.  I.  No.  531),  which 
has  been  grown  at  Highmore  for  five  years  and  at  Dickinson  for 
two  years,  has  given  the  highest  average  yields  for  those  periods. 
The  principal  disadvantage  of  the  two-rowed  varieties  is  that  they 
do  not  command  as  ready  a  market  as  the  six-rowed  varieties.  For 
feeding  there  is  no  appreciable  difference  between  the  two  types. 

The  varieties  of  two-rowed  barley  recommended  for  western 
North  and  South  Dakota  are  the  Hannchen  and  the  Hanna  (G.  I. 
Nos.  531  and  24).  The  Odessa  and  the  Minnesota  No.  6  are  appar- 
ently the  best  of  the  six-rowed  varieties. 

RATE-OF- SEEDING  TESTS. 

At  Dickinson  rate-of-seeding  tests  have  been  conducted  for 
three  years  with  durum  wheat,  two  years  with  oats,  and  one  year 
with  common  spring  wheat.  Tests  with  durum  wheat,  winter 
wheat,  and  oats  were  inaugurated  at  Bellefourche  in  1909.  The 
results  at  both  experiment  farms  point  to  the  conclusion  that  thick 
seeding  up  to  a  certain  point  produces  a  greater  yield  in  favorable 
seasons,  but  in  unfavorable  seasons  the  thinner  seeding  does  best. 
As  much  of  the  work  has  been  done  in  favorable  seasons  the  presen- 
tation of  the  results  at  this  time  would  probably  be  misleading. 

An  interesting  point  in  connection  with  the  test  on  winter  wheat 
at  Bellefourche  is  that  seeding  above  4  pecks  per  acre  has  increased 
the  percentage  of  winterkilling.  The  thicker  seeding  reduces  the 
supply  of  moisture  available  for  each  plant.  During  dry  autumns 
the  probable  result  is  that  the  plants  are  weakened  by  the  lack  of 
moisture  and  for  that  reason  are  more  easily  killed. 

It  is  recommended  that  thin  seeding  be  practiced.  Not  more 
than  5  pecks  of  durum  wheat,  4  peeks  of  common  spring  wheat, 
or  3  or  4  pecks  of  winter  wheat  should  be  sown  per  acre.  Barley  and 
oats  should  not  be  sown  thicker  than  (5  pecks  per  acre.  Thinner 
seeding  than  this  is  often  recommended  and  is  perhaps  advisable 
in  most  localities.  While  greater  yields  will  be  secured  from  thick 
r  fir.  59] 


DB1    LAND  GRAINS    FOB    NORTH  >1    in    DAKOTA.  -J  1 

seeding  in  favorable  years,  the  gain  will  nol  make  up  for  the  loan  thai 
i-  certain  to  occur  in  drj 

TIME  OF  SEEDING   WINTER  WHEAT 

\  tesl  i"  determine  the  besl  time  for  »eeding  winter  wheal  was 
begun  mi  tin-  Bellofourche  experimenl  farm  in  the  fall  of  1907  and 
ha-  been  continued  to  the  presenl  time.  The  plan  "I  the  experimenl 
involves  sowing  plats  of  the  Turkey  winter  wheal  al  intervals  of  two 
weeks,  from  Angusl  I  •">  to  November  I .  Sufficienl  data  have  nol  been 
Becured  t"  9tate  jusl  when  a  farmer  should  bom  his  winter  wheal  t" 
secure  the  best  results.  Apparently  it  i-  not  usualh  advisable  t" 
seed  later  than  October  I.  although  ^•«><[  yields  have  been  Becured 
li\  sowing  later.  In  some  localities  and  in  some  seasons  the  besl 
results  will  probabl}  be  obtained  from  seeding  much  earlier. 

WINTER    WHEAT    AND    SUMMER-FALLOW.    WITH    PARTICULAR 
REFERENCE  TO  WESTERN  SOUTH  DAKOTA. 

The  present  indications  are  thai  if  winter  wheal  i-  to  become  a 
paying  crop  in  western  South  Dakota  it  must  be  grown  on  land 
Bummer-fallowed  the  previous  season.  This  is  due  i<>  the  facl  thai 
ordinarily  the  autumn  rainfall  is  uol  sufficient  to  germinate  the 
grain  and  keep  it  growing  vigorously  until  winter.  Recent  inves- 
tigations ai  the  Bellefourche  experimenl  farm  indicate  thai  the 
amount  <>f  moisture  in  the  soil  from  the  time  of  seeding  until  winter, 
and  the  resulting  vigor  of  growth  are  ven  importanl  factors  in 
determining  the  \\a\  in  which  the  crop  withstands  the  winter.  They 
are  likewise  important  in  determining  the  yield. 

A  plat  of  the  Turkey  winter  wheal  <>  I  No  3055  was  sown  on 
corn  ground  in  the  fall  of  1908,  after  the  crop  had  been  harvested 
with  a  corn  binder.  This  produced  al  the  rate  of  23.5  bushels  per 
acre,  or  _1  bushels  less  than  the  same  variety  sown  on  summer- 
fallow.  A  plal  was  3own  after  corn  in  the  fall  of  1909.  Because  of 
dry  weather  this  failed  to  germinate,  as  did  several  other  plats  -own 
on  ground  plowed  a  short  time  before  seeding  and  not  summer- 
fallowed.  In  1908  th«  plat  on  the  corn  ground  was  sown  September 
15,  and  in  1909  it  was  sown  October  1. 

Throughout  t!n>  northern  Great  Plain-  the  precipitation  after 
August  i-  usually  very  low.  It  doe-  not  seem  possible,  except  during 
favorable  year-,  to  conserve  enough  moisture  in  the  soil  to  germinate 
and  properly  maintain  a  crop  of  winter  wheat  until  the  ground 
freeze-  by  any  mean-  other  than  summer-fallowing. 

r  further  information  on  :.  Montana 

cultural  Experimenl  Station;  Bulletin   109,   V  iltural  Experin 

Station;  and  Bulletin  7t.  Norl  speriment  - 

[Or.  59] 


^ 


22 


DBY-LAND   GBAINS    FOB    NORTH    AND   SOUTH    DAKOTA. 


Figure  1  illustrates  the  Turkey  winter  wheal  on  summer-fallow 
at  the  Bellefourche  experiment  farm  in  190!).  The  value  of  summer- 
fallow  for  winter  wheal  is  thai  it  is  the  surest  means  yet  known  for 
obtaining  a  crop  in  seasons  of  extreme  drought,  and  at  the  same 
time  appears  to  give  larger  yields  in  favorable  seasons  than  can  be 
obtained  by  any  system  of  rotation  that  includes  intertilled  crops. 


Fig.  1.— Crop  of  Turkey  winter  wheat  on  summer-fallow  at  the  experiment  (arm,  Bellefourche, 
S.  Dak.,  1909.    The  foreground  illustrates  the  method  of  summer-fallowing  for  the  next  crop. 

MILLING  AND  BAKING  TESTS. 

Milling  and  baking  tests  of  the  principal  varieties  of  wheat  grown 
at  Bellefourche  are  being  conducted  in  cooperation  with  the  .North 
Dakota  Agricultural  College  for  the  purpose  of  determining  the 
relative  value  of  the  different  classes  and  different  varieties  of  wheat 
for  bread  making.  By  cooperative  agreement  with  the  Bureau  of 
Chemistry  of  the  United  States  Department  of  Agriculture,  chemical 
analyses  are  made  of  all  the  varieties  of  wheat  that  are  milled. 
I  fir.  59] 


Dm    [.AND  MKAIM  L'TII    DAKOTA. 


^ 


Results  have  been   secured   on   about  fift<  the 

durum,  the  c moi  ;,|  the  w  inter  w  Ik  ich  year's  crop. 

Because  of  the  complexity  of  the  problem  and  the  short  period  for 
which  the  tests  have  been  conducted,  it  seem*  inadvisable  to  present 
the  results  at  the  present  time  U  i  sufficient  to  state  that  in  vie* 
of  the  shou  ing  made  in  tin  iouslj  reported,  the 

Kubanka  durum  wheat  (G.  I.  Nos.  1516  and  I  1 10)  and  Turkey    G    I. 
No  'nd  Kharkof  (Q.  I.  No.  1442    winter  «  ;  i  be  recom- 

mended as  the  best  varieties  for  trial  in  the  northern  Great  Plains. 

SUMMARY. 

The  experiments  of  the  Office  of  Grain   In  tiona  sho*   that 

the  success  of  the  dry-land  farmer  will  depend  \.  riallj   upon 

tin'  \  ariet  ies  of  grain  he  selects  for  his  farm. 

The  variety  tests  herein  reported  sho*  that  with  a  normal  rainfall 
durum  wheat  yields  from  25  to  75  percent  more  than  the  best  va- 
rieties of  Bluestem  and  Fife.  The  indications  are  that  in  seasons  of 
extreme  drought  this  difference  will  be  much  greater.  The  difference 
in  price  need  not  cause  apprehension  on  the  part  of  the  farmer.  Ai 
the  prevailing  prices  a  greater  profit  will  be  secured  from  the  durum 
u  heat. 

Experiments  conducted  at  Bellefourche  and  at  experiment  stations 
in  other  sections  of  the  Great  Plains  indicate  that  there  are  extensive 
areas  in  the  northern  Greal  Plains  where  winter  wheat  can  be  suc- 
sfully  grown.  In  these  areas  it  will  be  a  profitable  crop,  since  it 
yields  as  well  as  durum  wheal  and  commands  a  highei  price  on  the 
market. 

Recent  investigations  show  that  varieties  differ  remarkablj  in  the 
manner  in  which  they  withstand  the  winter.     Ii  would  therefore  b< 
waste  "I  time  and  money  for  the  farmer  to  attempt  to  groM  am  but 
the  verj  I><m  and  hardiest  \  ariet  ies. 

The  successful  production  of  winter  wheat  seems  to  depend  upon 
the  previous  preparation  of  the  soil.  Experiments  indicate  that  the 
only  sure  way  of  securing  a  crop  is  to  grow  ii  on  summer-fallowed 
land. 

Investigations  with  oats  indicate  that  -  arieties  will  usually 

produce  the  greatest  yields.     I.  s  will  do  well  in  ins, 

but  they  are  less  certain  in  unfavorable  years. 

Two-rowed  barleys  have  uniformly  yielded  the  highest,  and  they 
Bhould  be  grown  wherever  there  is  a  market  for  them  or  where  I 
farmer  desires  them  for  feed.     Hull-less  barleys  have  yielded  much 
lower  than  either  two-rowed  or  six-ro* ed~\  arieties. 

[Clr 


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§g§j 

24  DRY-LAND   GRAINS    FOB    NORTH    AND   SOUTH    DAKOTA. 

CONCLUSIONS. 

For  the  region  herein  discussed,  western  North  and  South  Dakota. 
the  following  conclusions  are  drawn: 

(1)  The  success  of  the  dry-land  farmer  will  depend  verj  largely 
upon  the  selection  of  varieties  adapted  to  his  conditions. 

(2)  Durum  wheat  is  a  more  profitable  crop  than  common  spring 
wheat.  The  best  variety  is  the  Kubanka  (G.  I.  No.  1440  or  G.  I. 
No.  1516). 

(3)  Winter  wheat  should  be  grown  wherever  it  will  survive  the 
winter.  The  best  varieties  are  the  Turkey  (G.  I.  No.  3035)  and  the 
Kharkof  (G.  I.  No.  1442). 

(4)  Early  or  medium  maturing  varieties  of  oats,  such  as  the  Sixty- 
Day,  the  Kherson,  and  the  Swedish  Select,  should  he  grown. 

(5)  Two-rowed  barleys  yield  better  than  the  six-rowed  varieties. 
The  best  two-rowed  barleys  are  the  llanna  (G.  I.  Nos.  24  and  203) 
and  the  llannchen  (G.  1.  No.  o.'A).  The  best  six-rowed  barleys  are 
the  Odessa  and  the  Minnesota  No.  G. 

Approved: 

James  Wilson. 

Secretan/  of  Agriculture. 

Washington,  D.  C,  March  SI,  1910. 

[Cir.  59] 

o 


